Art Supply Swap

Magdalena Karlick and Kat Dison share a vision of providing a safe space to draw people together and experience creativity. Their goal of spreading the arts was honored last weekend through a community art supply swap that was sponsored by the Santa Fe Creative Arts Center, New Mexico Art Therapy Association, and Southwestern College. With this additional support from the Santa Fe community, the art swap acted as a vehicle to tentatively establish an open art studio for the Santa Fe Community Arts Center.
The art swap provided an opportunity for artists and art therapists to get together and replenish their studios by donating, exchanging, and purchasing art supplies. Several New Mexicans heard about the art swap on the radio, read about it in the paper, or were simply drawn in from seeing children painting outside in the Railyard on a beautiful spring afternoon.

Inside the future site of the Santa Fe Creative Arts Center were two rooms filled with donated ar

t supplies that people were able to either purchase or exchange for other media.
Adjacent to the swap rooms were live entertainment and performances from local art enthusiasts. Jenny Bradley played her violin outside the entrance, which attracted onlookers and welcomed them inside. Devon Ludlow entertained audiences of all ages with his clown performance and puppet shows, The Free Range Ramblers got the crowd dancing to their dynamic folk sounds, and Mariana Marachlian granted everyone an ear-to-ear smile after witnessing a children’s choreography performance.

The Art Swap continued to accumulate donations throughout the day and successfully raised over $200 that will contribute to the purchase of additional art supplies, the offer of free art instruction, and the promise of open studio space to everyone in our community. It was a successful Sunday afternoon in the Railyard district, and a confirmation that the Santa Fe community is enthusiastic to support the opportunity of free expression and eager to begin a non-profit art studio.